The W

The W is the third studio album by American hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan. It was released on November 21, 2000, by Loud Records.[1] After their 1997 album Wu-Tang Forever, several of the group's members released solo projects before The W, which has a more rugged, less polished sound than that of most Wu-Tang related albums from that era. The album also features guest appearances from Isaac Hayes, Redman, Nas, Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg and Junior Reid.

For the swing/ska group, see The W's. For the Latin character, see W. For other uses, see W (disambiguation).
The W
Studio album by
Wu-Tang Clan
ReleasedNovember 21, 2000
Recorded1999–2000
GenreHip hop
Length59:04
Label
ProducerRZA, Mathematics
Wu-Tang Clan chronology
Wu-Tang Forever
(1997)		 The W
(2000)		 Iron Flag
(2001)
Singles from The W
  1. "Protect Ya Neck (The Jump Off)"
    Released: October 17, 2000
  2. "Gravel Pit"
    Released: December 5, 2000
  3. "Careful (Click, Click)"
    Released: July 17, 2001

The album debuted at number five on the Billboard 200, and number one on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart with 301,000 copies sold in the first week.[2][3] It produced several singles, which also charted as well. The album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[4] Upon its release, The W received generally positive reviews from most music critics based on an aggregate score of 80/100 from Metacritic.

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic80/100[5]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[7]
The Guardian[8]
Los Angeles Times[9]
NME8/10[10]
Q[11]
Rolling Stone[12]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[13]
Spin8/10[14]
The Village VoiceA−[15]

The W received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 80, based on 17 reviews.[5] Aside from calling Wu-Tang "the best rap group ever," Kris Ex of Rolling Stone called the album "A sonic gestalt that exists somewhere between the Queensbridge projects and OutKast's Stankonia."[12] The Rolling Stone Album Guide later gave the album four-and-a-half out of five stars in 2004, and called its production "possibly RZA's most consistent yet."[13] Entertainment Weekly's Matt Diehl gave The W a B+ rating, and remarked that the members sound "utterly mellow on their third album." He further stated "The W forgoes innovation and simply revels in the Clan's strengths: the way their star rappers toss around rhymes as if playing catch; RZA's skulking, string-enhanced beats."[7] Kelefa Sanneh of The Village Voice declared it "The best-produced Wu-affiliated album since GZA's 1995 Liquid Swords.[16] Q gave the album four out of five stars and stated "The W is largely a return to murky idiosyncratic form after 1997's filler-bloated Wu-Tang Forever. Weighing in at a svelte 60 minutes, it plays to the group's main strengths: brutal hooks and scary ambience."[5] Dave Heaton of PopMatters described it as "the sound of a group growing up and realizing that collaboration can lead to endless creativity" and commented on its significance in the group's catalogue, stating:

The Wu-Tang Clan of today is not the same as the Clan of 1993. And for this, we are blessed. Every Wu-Tang Clan member is growing as an MC as the years go by. Put them all together again now, after they've each done their own things separately, and you get an entirely new dynamic, a mix of the dark and the bright.[1]

Despite commenting that "The W isn't quite the masterpiece it sounds like after the first few tracks [...] it falls prey to inconsistency, resulting in half-formed tracks", AllMusic editor John Bush praised the album's "back-to-basics approach", writing that it "not only because it rightly puts the focus back on the best cadre of rappers in the world of hip-hop, but also because RZA's immense trackmaster talents can't help but shine through [...] When they're hitting on all cylinders, Wu-Tang Clan are nearly invincible."[6] Steve Jones of USA Today gave the album three out of four stars and called it "sharply focused."[17] S.H. Fernando, Jr. of Vibe called it "a dense, demented, 15-song opus that will now draw comparisons to the now classic 36 Chambers."[18] He further noted its "originality, innovation, and a mastery of the fundamentals of beats and rhymes", and commented "This album goes against the grain of everything that's going on in rap right now".[18] Sasha Frere-Jones of Spin complimented RZA's diverse range of production and the group's word play.[14] In his consumer guide for The Village Voice, critic Robert Christgau gave The W an A- rating,[15] indicating "the kind of garden-variety good record that is the great luxury of musical micromarketing and overproduction".[19] Christgau commented that he "can't swear they've taken their moral vision much beyond "'Handle your bid and kill no kids'", but praised RZA's production and stated "He serves up a bounty of song-centered musique trouvée and stomach-churning beats from anywhere [...] Far from straining, he's gone sensei, achieving a craft in which the hand leads the mind".[15]

Accolades

The W appeared on numerous Albums of the Year lists by several American publishers, such as Rolling Stone, Spin, and The Village Voice.[20] The album also appeared on the same lists for several international publishers, such as NME, The Wire and Uncut from the United Kingdom, and Liberation and Les Inrockuptibles from France, for which it was ranked number one in the latter.[20] In 2005, Hip Hop Connection ranked the album number 70 on their 100 Greatest Rap Albums 1995–2005 list.[20] One year later, the album was included in Gary Mulholland 261 Greatest Albums Since Punk and Disco.[20] In 2008, The W was included in Tom Moon's 1000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die,[20] and in 2009, Pitchfork Media ranked it number 162 on their Top 200 Albums of the 2000s list, stating "The W was as surprising as it was pleasing, packing some of the RZA's best production work, and some of the group's best music."[21]

Commercial performance

The W debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200, and number one on the US Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums charts, selling 301,000 copies in the first week.[2][3] On December 14, 2000, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of over a million copies in the United States.[22] As of April 2014, the album has sold 1.1 million copies in the United States.[23]

Track listing

Track listing information is taken from the official liner notes and AllMusic.[24][25]

The W
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro (Shaolin Finger Jab)–Chamber Music"
The RZA4:26
2."Careful (Click, Click)"
The RZA4:56
3."Hollow Bones"
The RZA3:37
4."Redbull" (featuring Redman)
The RZA3:53
5."One Blood Under W" (featuring Junior Reid)
The RZA4:11
6."Conditioner" (featuring Snoop Dogg)
The RZA5:32
7."Protect Ya Neck (The Jump Off)"
  • J. Hunter
  • C. Woods
  • C. Smith
  • E. Turner
  • R. Diggs
  • D. Coles
  • L. Hawkins
  • D. Hill
  • G. Grice
The RZA3:58
8."Let My Niggas Live" (featuring Nas)
  • R. Diggs
  • C. Woods
  • N. Jones
The RZA4:29
9."I Can't Go To Sleep" (featuring Isaac Hayes)
The RZA3:35
10."Do You Really (Thang, Thang)"
Allah Mathematics5:22
11."The Monument" (featuring Busta Rhymes)
  • R. Diggs
  • C. Woods
  • G. Grice
  • D. Coles
  • T. Smith
The RZA2:38
12."Gravel Pit"
  • R. Diggs
  • C. Smith
  • D. Coles
  • C. Woods
  • L. Hawkins
  • P. Moorman
The RZA4:51
13."Jah World" (featuring Junior Reid)
  • R. Diggs
  • D. Coles
  • J. Reid
The RZA7:36
Total length:59:04

Notes

  • "Careful (Click, Click)" and "Protect Ya Neck (The Jump Off)" feature raps by Cappadonna.
  • "Do You Really (Thang, Thang)" features raps by Streetlife and uncredited vocals by DJ Kay Slay.
  • "Gravel Pit" features additional vocals by Paulissa Moorman.
  • "Jah World" contains the uncredited hidden bonus track "Hand Clap", produced by Allah Mathematics.

Sample credits

  • “Intro (Shaolin Finger Jab)/Chamber Music” contains dialogue ‘’Five Deadly Venoms’’.
  • “Hollow Bones” contains a sample of “Is It Because I’m Black” by Syl Johnson.
  • “One Blood Under W” contains samples of “One Blood” by Junior Reid, and a sample of “James Bond Theme” by The John Barry Orchestra.
  • “Protect Ya Neck (The Jump Off)” contains samples of “Sing a Simple Song” by Sly and the Family Stone and “Oh, Pretty Woman” by Albert King.
  • “I Can’t Go to Sleep” contains a sample of “Walk on By” by Isaac Hayes.
  • “Do You Really (Thang, Thang)” contains a sample of “Hang On, Sloopy” by David Porter.

Personnel

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[41] Gold 50,000^
Germany (BVMI)[42] Gold 150,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[43] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[44] Platinum 1,000,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

References
  1. Heaton, John (November 20, 2000). "Wu-Tang Clan: The W". PopMatters. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  2. "The W – Wu-Tang Clan (Awards)". AllMusic. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  3. "Wu-Tang Clan debuts at No. 5". The 411 Online. Retrieved December 14, 2010.
  4. RIAA Search: The W Archived August 20, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. RIAA. Retrieved 2010-07-18.
  5. "Reviews for The "W" by Wu-Tang Clan". Metacritic. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  6. Bush, John. "The W – Wu-Tang Clan". AllMusic. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  7. Browne, David (November 24, 2000). "The W". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  8. Cameron, Keith (November 17, 2000). "Nine's company". The Guardian.
  9. Weingarten, Marc (November 19, 2000). "Clan's Stuck in a Holding Pattern". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 22, 2015. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  10. "Wu-Tang Clan: The W". NME: 41. November 18, 2000.
  11. "Wu-Tang Clan: The W". Q (171). December 2000.
  12. Ex, Kris (December 14, 2000). "Wu-Tang Clan: The W". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 4, 2008. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
  13. Frere-Jones, Sasha (2004). "Wu-Tang Clan". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 887–88. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  14. Frere-Jones, Sasha (February 2001). "W for President". Spin. 17 (2): 105–06. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  15. Christgau, Robert (January 23, 2001). "Consumer Guide: Dub for Dummies". The Village Voice. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  16. Sanneh, Kelefa (December 19, 2000). "Sobs, Static, and Sweat". The Village Voice. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  17. Jones, Steve (November 21, 2000). "Wu-Tang Clan, The W". USA Today. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  18. Fernando Jr., S.H. (January 2001). "Wu-Tang Clan: The W". Vibe. 9 (11): 137–38. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  19. Christgau, Robert. "CG 90s: Key to Icons". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved February 5, 2011.
  20. "The W Accolades". Acclaimed Music. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  21. Pitchfork staff (September 28, 2009). "The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 200–151". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved October 1, 2009.
  23. Grein, Paul (April 3, 2014). "New Wu-Tang Clan Album: The Case for the World's First $5 Million Album". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved April 3, 2014.
  24. The W (booklet). Wu-Tang Clan. Loud/Columbia. 2000. CK 62193.CS1 maint: others (link)
  25. "The W - Wu-Tang Clan". AllMusic. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  26. "Australiancharts.com – Wu-Tang Clan – The W". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2000-11-21.
  27. "Austriancharts.at – Wu-Tang Clan – The W" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 2000-11-21.
  28. "Ultratop.be – Wu-Tang Clan – The W" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 2000-11-21.
  29. "Wu-Tang Clan Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 2000-11-21.
  30. "Wu-Tang Clan: The W" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 2000-11-21.
  31. "Lescharts.com – Wu-Tang Clan – The W". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2000-11-21.
  32. "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week {{{week}}}, {{{year}}}". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved 2000-11-21.
  33. "Charts.nz – Wu-Tang Clan – The W". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2000-11-21.
  34. "Swisscharts.com – Wu-Tang Clan – The W". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2000-11-21.
  35. http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/r-and-b-albums-chart/20001126/115/
  36. "Wu-Tang Clan | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 2000-11-21.
  37. "Wu-Tang Clan Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 2000-11-21.
  38. "Wu-Tang Clan Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 2000-11-21.
  39. "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2001". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  40. "Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2001". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  41. "Canadian album certifications – Wu-Tang Clan – The W". Music Canada.
  42. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Wu-Tang Clan; 'The W')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  43. "British album certifications – Wu-Tang Clan – The W". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type The W in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  44. "American album certifications – Wu-Tang Clan – The W". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 

Further reading
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